Rio Rancho, NM Tornado History — 23 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Rio Rancho, NM had?
Rio Rancho has had 23 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Rio Rancho?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Rio Rancho was an Unrated on August 19, 2025.
When is tornado season in Rio Rancho?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Rio Rancho, with 5 on record. April through June account for 9 of the 23 tornadoes on record near Rio Rancho.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Rio Rancho
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 8 total, averaging 0.4 per year over this window.
What storm spotters reported near Rio Rancho
2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Rio Rancho and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on July 30, 2025 and the most recent on August 19, 2025. They are already counted in the Rio Rancho totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
[Landspout] Video shared by broadcast media of a landspout near the Bernalillo/Sandoval county line. (ABQ)
[Landspout] Social media video shows landspout just north of Rio Bravo Blvd. Time and location estimated based on video and radar. (ABQ)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Rio Rancho
1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Rio Rancho since 1950, across 1 event. 8 injuries have been reported across all events. 1974 was the deadliest year on record near Rio Rancho.
The deadliest single event was an F2 on October 10, 1974, which caused 1 fatality along a 2.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Rio Rancho
What the record shows near Rio Rancho
The 2020s are the busiest decade on record so far near Rio Rancho, with 6 of the 23 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles. The Rio Rancho record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Rio Rancho, 18 reached EF0 or EF1 and 1 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Rio Rancho is rated EF2, of which 1 is logged. A further 4 near Rio Rancho are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Rio Rancho has averaged 0.4 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 8 in total. 2025 was the busiest of them with 3, and 14 of those years passed with none at all.